Hanuman Jayanti

About

Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the birth of Hanuman, the devoted servant of Lord Rama, known for his strength, courage, humility and unwavering faith. In most of North India it is observed on Chaitra Purnima, the full-moon day of the month of Chaitra, soon after Ram Navami.

The festival is celebrated at sunrise, since Hanuman is said in tradition to have been born at dawn. When Purnima spans two days, the day on which it is present at sunrise is usually chosen. Check the computed time for your city.

Other days are observed elsewhere. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala it is Hanumath Jayanthi in the month of Margazhi (Dhanu), on the Amavasya with Moola nakshatra. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana a 41-day Hanuman Deeksha, begun around Chaitra Purnima, ends on Vaishakha Krishna Dashami. In parts of Karnataka it is kept on Margashirsha Shukla Trayodashi (Hanuma Vratam), while other places keep it in Vaishakha. Follow your family and local temple tradition.

Significance and stories

Hanuman is the son of Anjana and Kesari, and also called the son of the wind god Vayu, which is why he is known as Pavanaputra, Anjaneya and Maruti. As a child he is said to have leapt at the Sun, mistaking it for a fruit. Later, as Rama's greatest devotee, he crossed the ocean to find Sita in Lanka, carried the Sanjivani mountain to save Lakshmana, and served Rama with complete humility.

He is the symbol of selfless service (seva), courage in the face of fear and devotion without ego. Many devotees pray to him for strength of mind, protection from fear and steadiness in difficulty.

The Hanuman Chalisa by Tulsidas is the most widely recited prayer, and the Sundara Kanda of the Ramayana is read in his honour.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Wake early, bathe, and wear clean clothes. Many wear red or orange. Make a sankalpa for the day.
2. Clean the shrine and place an image of Hanuman, or Rama Darbar, on a clean cloth.
3. Offer sindoor mixed with jasmine or sesame oil, red flowers, a garland, tulsi leaves and akshata.
4. Light a lamp and incense. Offer fruit, boondi laddu or gur-chana, and a betel leaf if your tradition does.
5. Recite the Hanuman Chalisa, Sundara Kanda, or Hanuman Ashtak, and chant "ॐ हनुमते नमः" (Om Hanumate Namah). Ask a priest or elder to guide pronunciation.
6. Perform aarti, and share the prasad. Many visit a Hanuman temple.
7. Some temples ask women not to touch the Hanuman idol or offer sindoor themselves, while others allow it. Customs differ, so follow your family tradition and the local temple priest's guidance.

Puja items (samagri)

• Hanuman idol or picture
• Sindoor, sesame or jasmine oil, red cloth
• Red flowers, marigold garland, tulsi leaves
• Boondi laddu, gur-chana, bananas and other fruit
• Betel leaf (paan), coconut
• Diya, incense, camphor
• Hanuman Chalisa book

Fasting and food

Many devotees fast until the puja, eating a simple meal after the evening prayer. Some keep a full-day fast with fruit and milk, and some eat only one meal. Satvik food is preferred. Onion, garlic, meat and alcohol are avoided by those who observe the day.

Fasting is a personal choice. People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast.

Regional customs

• North India: Chaitra Purnima, with processions, Sundara Kanda recitation, and large fairs at Hanuman temples such as Salasar and Mehandipur.
• Maharashtra: Hanuman Jayanti at sunrise with kirtan.
• Tamil Nadu and Kerala: Observed in the month of Margazhi, with vada garlands offered to Hanuman at temples like Namakkal.
• Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Observed on different tithis, and in Andhra and Telangana a Hanuman Deeksha is kept before the festival.
• Odisha: Observed around Mesha Sankranti (Pana Sankranti), with Hanuman worship in some places.

Traditions vary; follow your family's custom or your local temple's guidance.

Celebrating in the USA

Because the main puja is at sunrise, a short prayer before work is enough: light a lamp, offer a flower, and recite the Chalisa. Mustard or sesame oil lamps and sindoor can stain, so use a tray and clean cloth. Check smoke-alarm placement before lighting incense or camphor.

Many temples hold a Hanuman Jayanti programme with a Hanuman Chalisa recitation, often 108 times, on the nearest weekend. Boondi laddu and bananas are easy to obtain from Indian stores. Hanuman Chalisa gatherings at home or in a community hall are an easy way to include children.